How to play music on Apple Watch without your iPhone

If you want to play music on Apple Watch without an iPhone, there are two options: play music stored on Apple Watch or stream music from music services like Apple Music and Spotify. The second option is simple: just install and run the music streaming app, but you will need a subscription. However, if you want to play Spotify on Apple Watch without Premium, there's an alternative method. Follow this guide to explore how to play local music and Spotify on your Apple Watch without iPhone.   

Play music stored on Apple Watch

You can play your own music, podcasts, or audiobooks on your Apple Watch offline, as long as you've synced them from your iPhone to your watch first. Once synced, you can enjoy this content directly from your watch, even without your iPhone nearby or a Wi-Fi/cellular connection.

Step 1: Sync a playlist

1. Set your Apple Watch on its charger and make sure that it is charging. Ensure that your iPhone is within range of your watch.
2. On your iPhone, go to Settings > Bluetooth. Make sure that Bluetooth is turned on.
3. On your iPhone, open the Apple Watch app, then tap the My Watch tab.
4. Scroll to Music and tap it, then tap Add Music.
5. Find the music that you want to sync. Tap the add button next to the music that you want. If you can't add specific albums or playlists, try downloading them to your iPhone before you sync with your watch.

Step 2: Connect Apple Watch to Bluetooth headphones or speakers

Follow the instructions that came with the headphones or speakers to put them in discovery mode. When the Bluetooth device is ready, follow these steps:

1. Open the Settings app on your Apple Watch, then tap Bluetooth.
2. Tap the device when it appears.

You can also tap on the play screens of the Audiobooks, Music, Now Playing, Podcasts, and Radio apps to open the Bluetooth setting.

Step 3: Let the music play

With your playlist synced and your headphones paired, open the Music app on your Apple Watch, turn the Digital Crown to scroll through album artwork, then tap a playlist or album to play it.

Play Spotify music on Apple Watch without your iPhone

Spotify Premium users can stream and download music directly on their Apple Watch with the Spotify app, even without an iPhone. For Spority Free users, the watch can only control the music playback on their iPhone. To play Spotify music on your Apple Watch without an iPhone and without a Premium subscription, an alternative is to download Spotify tracks as MP3 files and then sync them to your watch.

Spotify songs you downloaded with premium account are DRM-protected and can't be synced to Apple Watch. To download Spotify music to MP3 with either free or premium account, all you need is Ondesoft Spotify Music Converter , which is available on Mac and Windows. It's an excellent Spotify music downloader and converter, which is able to strip DRM from Spotify music and convert Spotify to MP3 , M4A, FLAC or WAV with 100% original quality.

Follow the detailed tutorial as below to learn how to download Spotify music to MP3 and sync to Apple Watch.

Step 1. Download Spotify music to MP3

1. Run Ondesoft Spotify Converter

Download, install and run Ondesoft Spotify Converter on your Mac or Windows. Log in to your Spotify account with the built-in Spotify web player, whether free or premium.

2. Choose output format (optional)

Ondesoft Spotify Converter will download Spotify songs in original format by default, mostly in M4A format. It also supports downloading Spotify music in MP3, AAC, FLAC, WAV and AIFF formats. Click the gear icon on the top right corner to change output format if you need. You can also change the output folder, quality, volume, file name format, etc. according to your needs.

3. Select Spotify songs, albums or playlists

Browse or search to find the songs, playlists or albums you want to download with the built-in Spotify web player. Click the red Add to list button to load all songs.

All songs in the playlist or albums will be checked by default. You can uncheck the songs you don't want to download.

4. Click Convert button

Click Convert button to start downloading Spotify music to the format you choose.

After downloading, click below folder icon to quickly locate the DRM-free Spotify songs. You can then listen to the Spotify songs offline without ads, skip any song as you like. Transfer them to your iPhone, iPad, iPod or Android devices. You can enjoy Spotify Premium free on any device that support MP3.

Step 2. Add converted Spotify music to Apple Music/iTunes library

Add the converted Spotify songs to your Apple Music/iTunes library and then create a playlist for them. Turn on Sync Library and your entire Music library will also appear on your iPhone.

Step 3. Sync Spotify music to your Apple Watch

Add the converted Spotify songs to your Apple Watch by syncing them. After you sync, you can play the Spotify music on your Apple Watch without your iPhone.

1. Set your Apple Watch on its charger and make sure that the device is charging.
2. On your iPhone, go to Settings > Bluetooth. Make sure that Bluetooth is turned on.
3. On your iPhone, open the Apple Watch app, then tap the My Watch tab.
4. Tap Music > Add Music.
5. Choose the music that you want to sync.

Step 4. Offline play Spotify music on Apple Watch

Once the converted Spotify playlist has synced to your Apple Watch and your headphones are paired with your watch, you can listen to the playlist on your Apple Watch without your iPhone.

1. On your Apple Watch, open the Music app.
2. Tap the Apple Watch icon to set it as the music source.
3. Tap Playlists.
4. At the top you’ll see, On My Apple Watch. Select the playlist, press play and your music will begin!

Check out other free music apps for Apple Watch .